City Leader Guiding Recovery Work at Storm Melissa's Worst-Hit Area
The local leader of Black River – a community described as “ground zero” for the devastating storm – has detailed the immense storm surges and extensive devastation wrought by the catastrophe.
Reflecting on the traumatic ordeal, the mayor recalled enduring the Category 5 storm at an emergency operating centre.
“Our community of Black River is devastated,” he said. “The destruction is so catastrophic that the national leader classified this area as ground zero.”
Several people from Black River are reported to have died, but the mayor noted receiving word of other fatalities that are still being verified due to communication and transportation challenges.
“Storm Melissa arrived around 8 a.m. and lasted for around nine hours, during which we were battered with strong gusts and a lot of rain,” he explained.
“We got up to 4.8 metres of water at the emergency operating centre. It was a frightening moment for us, and we were hoping that it would not rise any further, because we were on the second floor, and I tell you, when we saw the water rising, it was a scary moment for us.”
The mayor explained that the town, located in the hard-hit south-western region of St Elizabeth, is lacking water and power, and the majority of structures have lost their roofs. One official previously characterized the town as flooded, with more than half a million residents lacking electricity. A landslide has obstructed the main roads of Santa Cruz, where roadways have been reduced to muddy tracks. Locals are now sweeping water from their homes and attempting to salvage their belongings.
Rescue efforts and evaluations have proven extremely difficult because every one of the town’s transport and essential facilities such as firefighting, police, medical centers and supermarkets were “severely damaged,” notes Solomon.
The mayor is now focused on working to assist the neediest residents, while also coping with the personal impact of the devastation.
“The mayor's car was totally submerged by water. My roof was lost, so I do understand the suffering that persons are experiencing, but what is a priority for me now is to focus on securing assistance for the most vulnerable at this time,” he explains.
Solomon estimates that it will take billions of local currency to restore Black River after Melissa’s destruction. For now, he says, the priority is clearing impassable roads, which have cut off the town.
“We are now trying to get the main roads and secondary routes here so that we can get relief supplies in. Most of our stores, if not all, were impacted negatively so they will be unable to provide supplies to persons who are in need at this moment,” he says.
The prime minister has seen the devastation personally, with an flyover of the area revealing 80 to 90% of roofs in the area had been lost.
“This will be a enormous undertaking to restore this historic town. But while it is damaged, we can envision a tomorrow of it emerging more resilient and improved,” he told local media.
“We will get it done. So maintain the positive outlook, remain hopeful, and we will get through this, and we will reconstruct stronger,” he affirmed.
